Insulating-coupling.



PATENTED OCT. 29, 1907.

A. W. BERRESFORD.

INSULATING COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.21,1903.

2 sums-SHEET 1.

PATENTED OCT; 29, 1 907.

A. W. BBRRBSFORD.

INSULATING COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21, 1903.

2 8HEET8-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR W. BERRESFORD, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THECUTLER-HAMMER MFG. CO OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OFWISCONSIN.

INSULATING-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 29, 1907.

Application filed February 21'. 1903- Ssrial No. 144-488.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR W. BERREsi-ORD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofWisconsin, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inInsulating-Coupling, of which the following is a full, clear, concise,and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing,forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to devices for'coupling parts of electricalapparatus and insulating said parts from each other. The improvedcoupling is particularly designed for use in connection with .fieldrheostats adapted to be mounted onswitch boards, and its employmenttherein enables certain features of construction which overcomedisadvantages heretofore present in such rheostats.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of myinvention; Figure 1 is a partial sectional view of a field regulator inwhich my improvements are employed; Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof; Fig.3 is a sectional view on the line a:z Fig. '1 showing the coupling inelevation, and, Fig. '4 is aperspective view of the coupling, one of theyokes being withdrawn from the insulating block.

In these drawings is shown a switch board 1. In rear thereof is arrangeda base 2 which carries contact buttons 3 connected by resistances 4 inthe usual manner. The base is provided with lugs 5 which rest upon therear of the switch board, andis held in position by bolts 6 which passthrough said lugs.

On each side of the base are washers 7 which are supported in positionby pins or studs 8 fastened thereto and seated in recesses in the base.A shaft 9 passes through an opening in the base which is slightly largerthan the shaft and said shaft is journaled in said washers. The ends ofsaid shaft project beyond said washers and on the rear end of the shaftis fastened an arm or lever 11 which carries a brush 12 adapted toengage the contact buttons on the base.

- Through an opening 13 in the switch board extends a shaft 14 which isnot as large as the opening. This shaft is journaled in alinement withthe other shaft in plates 15 secured to the switch board by bolts 16.The front plate is preferably circular and constitutes a dial for therheostat. On the outer end of the shaft 14 is a hand wheel 17 forturning the same and operating the rheostat.

In order to provide a readily separable connection between the shafts 9and 14 and to insulate said shafts from each other, I have contrived.the following construction'. The yokes 18 have hubs 18, which fitloosely on the adjacent ends of the shafts and which may be set inposition thereon by the thumb setscrews 18*, extending laterally of theshaft. It will be seen that the set'scre ws are readily accessible formanipulation when the shaft of an operating handle on the switchboard iscoupled to the shaft of a rheostat or other device on the rear of theswitchboard. An insulating block 19, preferably of circular form, isinterposed between said yokes. The yokes are preferably arranged atright angles to each other and at their extremities are provided withlugs 20 which enter corresponding recesses or notches 21 formed in theinsulat ing block. The block 19 of insulating material insulates the twoparts of the shaft from each other and by a loose separable connectionmechanically unites them so that rotation of one will rotate the other.Thus, with this arrangement, the yokes 18 act as dogs to transmit themovement of the shaft 14 to the insulating disk and from the insulatingdisk to the shaft 9, said dogs being at all times effectively insulatedfrom each other.

In field rheostats, as heretofore constructed, a single shaft wasemployed and the handle had its hub insulated from the shaft to protectthe operator from shock by the current. In order that the rheostat mightbe set at varying distances in rear of the switchboard to suit thecircumstances, the rheostats were constructed with a long shaft. Afterthe rheostat was s et in position the end of the shaft protruding infront of the switchboard was cut off the desired length and then thehand wheel applied thereto. The parts of the rheostat were assembledexcept the handle when the rheostat was shipped. In many instances theshaft was bent in transportation of the device and this 00- casionedconsiderable difficulty in putting the rheostat in an operativeposition. This inconvenience has been entirely obviated by the couplingwhich I have difficulty or inconvenience.

It will be obvious that to assemble the parts of the coupling, all thatis necessary to be done is to remove the yoke from the shaft carryingthe hand wheel and cut the shaft the proper length, after which theinsulating disk may be interposed between the yokes and the latter maythen be readily adjusted and set in position on the shafts.

It will be seen that my coupling is of the type known as universal. By auniversal coupling I wish to be understood as designating that class ofcouplings which will permit the shafts connected by said coupling, to

rotate freely although the shafts are not in perfect agtial alincinent.

My coupling is also a separable coupling by which I wish to beunderstood as designating a coupling that may be disconnected withoutthe use of tools or the the coupling and while the coupling is in itscompleted working condition. I

Herein is shown and described only the preferred manner of carrying out.my invention, but I am aware that various changes may be made therein,as tor instance, the number oi lugs and recesses might be increased ordiminished, or their relative positions might he changed. I thereforereserve the right to make such modifications as fairly fall within thescope of my invention.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In a shaft coupling, the combination with coupling members, of lugsextending longitudinally from each of said members, and an insulatingblock having notches into which the lugs on one of said members mayextend and separate notches for accommodating the lugs on the ther ofsaid members.

2. In a'shat't coupling, the combination with yokos se cured to therespective shaft parts, ot' forwardly extending lugs integrally formedon said yokcs, and an insulating block having notches into which thelugs on one of said yokes maycxtend and separate notches toraccommodating the lugs on the other of said yokes.

3. In a shaft coupling, the combination with coupling members secured tothe, respective shaft parts, of forwnrdlycxtending lugs for each of saidcoupling members.

each of said dogs having a forwardly extending lug, and an insulatingblock having a notch wherein the lug of one of said dogs may engage anda separate notch in which the lug oi: the other of said dogs may engage.

5.. in a shaft coupling, the combination with the respective shaftparts, of an insulating block disposed between said shaft parts andhaving notches in the periphery thereof, a dog secured to one of saidshaft parts and having forwardly extending lugs engaging incorresponding notches in said block and a similardog secured to theother of said shaft parts and having its lugs engaging in separatenotches in said block.

(i. in a shaft coupling, the combination'with the respective shaftparts, of an insulating block disposed between said parts, a (log memberon each of said parts, and lugs on each of said dog members, the lugs oneach of said dog members extending therefrom toward the other dogmemher, said insulating block having a. set of notches within which thelugs 'on one of said dog members may engage and a separate set ofnotches wherein the lugs upon the other of said (log members may engage.

7. in a shaft coupling, the combination with the respec tive shaftparts, of a dog member secured to each of said parts, forwardlyextending lugs on each of said dog members, all of said lugs beingdisposed to rotate in a common plane. and an insulating block separatingsaid dog members and spacing the lugs on one of said members from thelugs on the other of said members.

In witness whereof. I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two witnesses.

ARTHUR W. BERRESFURD.

Witnesses M. ii. Roi'HFoRD. EDWIN B. ii. 'iowmc. Jr.

